This time, the storm of ordure falling on their shoulders may have been entirely metaphorical. But, judging by the looks on the players’ faces as they left the stadium, it will have felt far, far worse. And the smell will linger on much longer.

They were so close to ultimate victory here they could feel the champions’ medals round their necks, could taste the sponsors’ champagne, could begin to compose their triumphal tweets. So close, indeed, that to learn it is not, after all, to be theirs, that victory had been snatched from their grasp even as they waited on the pitch for the green light to celebrate, must have felt like a bucket had been emptied on their heads. The Sunderland manager Martin O’Neill in his commiserations suggested that to lose out in the way they had was “the most harrowing loss you can have.” There were few in red who would disagree with such an analysis.

United came to Sunderland knowing precisely what they had to do: three points needed to be accrued before even beginning to dream unlikely day dreams about what City might give them. To achieve that, Sir Alex Ferguson had picked a United team chock full of experience. Paul Scholes, Ryan Giggs, Rio Ferdinand, Wayne Rooney had all been in this sort of position before, all knew how to close the deal. And the way they played, the way Ferdinand held the defensive line, the way Giggs and Scholes controlled the midfield, the way Rooney ghosted into the area to score the only goal, they did all that was required of them.

When Rooney was by the corner flag in the second minute of injury time, pushing his back into a Sunderland defender with the ball at his feet, running down the clock, a chorus of voices yelled at him from the United section that City had royally fouled up and the title was his if only he could hold on. He must have thought when Howard Webb sounded the final whistle that experience had once more carried him and his team through. He must have thought victory was his.

Instead, as he stood on the pitch watching the Sunderland fans do a mocking Poznan, he was subject to a storm of toxic rain on his parade. Instead of partying, he trooped off the field looking as if he had just encountered the ghost of Premier Leagues to come.

As the result from Manchester was confirmed on the stadium’s giant screen, Sir Alex Ferguson was notably dignified in his response to the sudden confirmation that he had indeed lost the title in Fergie time. He merely shrugged, clapped his hands together and shephered his players to go and acknowledge the visiting supporters.

“It’s a cruel way [to lose], but we’ve experienced many ups and downs,” he said. “We’ve won the title three times on the last day. Congratulations to our neighbours. But these young players will be around in five six, seven years' time. This experience will be good for them.”

For Ferguson it will be a testing summer. For sure, the 89 points they accrued would have won his team the title last year. But he will know that the manner in which they lost it this season was not conducive to long-term competitiveness in the face of their neighbours’ financial dominance.

Blowing an eight-point lead is not something Manchester United teams are meant to do. Roy Keane suggested in his newspaper column that the United players will take years to get over the trauma of throwing away this title – years in which City will now anticipate hoovering up the trophies.

He has a rebuilding job on his hands. Giggs, Scholes and Ferdinand may have been magnificent here, but they can hardly be expected much longer to carry the enterprise. Ferguson has youthful prospects coming through, some of whom will have had their resolve strengthened by this setback. But he has urgent need of players at their peak, in the 26 to 29-year-old age group, to pit at the core of a team to challenge City’s burgeoning self-confidence.

The Glazers’ cheque book will need a serious airing.

Yet despite the prospect ahead, Ferguson remained resolute, defiant. “The history of our club stands us aside, we don’t have to worry,” he said of City’s freshly invigorated challenge. “It will take them a century to get to our level.”

You suspect that over the next few years the blue quarter of Manchester will enjoy a bit of rapid catch-up.

How Fergie fights back

1995: A year after Kenny Dalglish brought the title to Blackburn, United’s “kids” won it by four points from Newcastle.

1998: After Arsenal won the Double, Ferguson delivered a Treble of Champions League, Premier League and FA Cup.

2002: Arsenal won the title again, but a year later, Ferguson was back on his perch, seeing off the north Londoners by five points.

2004: The only year when United’s failure to land the title – thanks to Wenger’s 'Invincibles’ – prompted a spell in the wilderness. Jose Mourinho won back-to-back titles for Chelsea and Ferguson only regained the crown in 2007.

2009: Carlo Ancelotti knocked United off their stride but, a year later, they were on top again, finishing nine points clear.